“Maybe it is,” Jeremy growled, jaw tight.
“Tell us what about the salon, Kat.”
Kat took a deep breath. “I asked the woman about mark, but she got uncomfortable. After a couple of minutes she excused herself and another girl finished my manicure, saying something about the first girl double-booking or something,” Then, in a smaller voice Kat whispered, “If she got it the same way Jade did, I understand now why she didn’t want to talk about it.”
“You think this girl was raped?” Tyson asked, appalled.
Jade cringed at the word rape. That word was so ugly, so vile. How could four little letters carry such a detrimental consequence?
Kat nodded and Chloe asked, “Do you remember the woman’s name or the name of the salon?”
“I don’t remember the manicurist’s name, but the salon’s called Trinidad’s.” She took a deep breath. “I never said anything, because I didn’t know. There were weeks between each incident. I never suspected it was a way to mark victims. I would’ve said something if I thought anyone was in danger, I swear.”
Tyson took her hand, holding her closer as he softened his deep voice. “They know that, kitten. It was trivial coincidences at the time, nothing else. I saw a blue jay yesterday and one the day before. You don’t hear me telling everyone, do you?”
Jade couldn’t bear the thought of Kat blaming herself for any of this. “He’s right, Kat.”
Bringing them back to the matter at hand, Chloe asked, “Jade, have you ever seen the four before?”
She shook her head. “No. I mean it was on my car, but I didn’t even notice what the sticker said, only that I hadn’t put it there. The first time I saw it was the day after the assault, but even then I couldn’t make out what it was. It wasn’t until it healed that I realized it was intentionally put there, a branded symbol of some sort.”
“What about that guy? Nathan?” Jeremy asked, directing his question to Kat. “He knows something. What made you link this to him?”
“Nathan, the man Jade had a confrontation with before her ultrasound appointment?” Chloe clarified and Kat nodded.
“Nathan’s a friend of my parents—”
“He’s a prick,” Tyson interrupted.
“Well, that too,” Kat agreed. “I met him a couple years ago. He’s a friend of Dawson’s.”
“Also a prick,” Tyson added.
“Anyway, Nathan always made me uncomfortable. He’s chauvinistic and self-righteous. The reason I assumed he knew something was because I ran into him at the market with Jeremy one time. I thought it was odd that he was in our neighborhood. When he pulled away I noticed he had the same four on his car.”
Jeremy’s eyes darkened. “I remember that day. I didn’t realize that was the same guy. Do you think it could be some sort of gang?”
“I don’t know. I totally forgot about it until we saw Nathan at the restaurant. As soon as he followed us outside I remembered and that’s why I freaked out. I figured he had to know something, but he swore he didn’t. Then Jeremy showed up and punched him in the face.”
“I envy you, man,” Tyson commented.
Jeremy only scowled in reply.
“You told this Nathan about the pregnancy, Jade?” Chloe asked.
Sitting back slowly, her mind replayed that confusing day on the sidewalk as her heart slowly sank into the pit of her stomach. “Yes.”
The room grew silent and she felt the walls closing in. She hadn’t meant to put herself in jeopardy. She only wanted to tell him off, take back the power. Afterward, she put the entire episode behind her, hoping she scared him enough to run in the opposite direction if they ever crossed paths again. With all the news of Kat’s pregnancy and the excitement of her own, she didn’t want to dwell on some lead that probably meant nothing.
“What if he’s the reason that car came after me today? What if this is all some kind of game? What if they’re still watching me? That guy knows I’m pregnant!”
“Shh, take a breath.” Jeremy soothed, but even he clearly couldn’t manage calm. His body was tight and coiled to spring into attack at any second. “This Nathan isn’t going to come near you. I’ll make sure of that.”
“I don’t want him involved in this,” Jade protested. She didn’t want any trouble.
“Jade, he already knows. I saw his face when he saw your scar. He knows what it means. We need to get ahold of him and get more information. I think we should go back to that salon, too, and see if the nail girl knows anything. We should be retracing all your steps as far as we can. There might be surveillance from the night of—”
“Stop!” Her heart beat too fast. “You don’t get it, Jeremy. I don’t want to know. I just want to live a normal life.”
“Well, how normal is it when people are trying to run you over?”
“I was scared! What if I didn’t even see the four and just imagined it?” She looked hopelessly to Chloe. “Like you said, our mind can play tricks on us and make us see things that aren’t really there.”
“Do you think that’s what happened, Jade?” Chloe asked, her tone quiet and gentle.
Swallowing, her lips trembled as her vision blurred with unshed tears. This was too much. None of them understood how badly this was ripping her apart. She couldn’t live her life in a state of constant fear and panic. “I just want my life back.”
Chloe passed her a tissue as a tear fell. “I think we’ve done enough for today. Thank you, all, for coming. If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a few minutes alone with Jade.”
“Jade,” Jeremy whispered, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the floor or find the nerve to answer any more questions. Pressure built like a heart attack in her chest as she waited for them to leave.
Chloe shut the door and returned to her side. “Hey.” She took her hand and chaffed it gently. “If you want to cry, that’s okay. I’ve got time.”
Face crumpling, she gasped on a sob and broke as Chloe pulled her into a hug.
“I know this is a lot.” Chloe ran a soothing hand down her back. “It’s scary and not what you want.”
No words came out, only tears. She cried for what felt like days. She cried because she was scared. She cried because someone tried to hit her with a car. She cried because her pants were too tight. She cried because she hated feeling victimized. But most of all, she cried because this wasn’t over and might never be.
“You have a great group of people out there who love you very much, and one in particular who’s quite determined to protect you.”
“Jeremy doesn’t love me,” Jade corrected with a sniffle.
“What makes you so sure? He’s here. He wants to help you. And he’s going against his very nature to do right by you when every instinct he has is screaming for vengeance. I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss his feelings.”
Smudging her makeup, she rubbed the heel of her palm over her eye socket. “Why though? My life’s one big clusterfuck.”
Chloe laughed. “He’s an alpha, Jade. He can handle it. Maybe you should trust him to take whatever you can dish out.”
“I do trust him, but I know he wants to punish someone for what happened to me and I don’t want anyone sniffing around sleeping dogs. I just want to let them lie and move on with my life. I can’t handle anymore trouble.”
“But you also can’t spend your life looking over your shoulder. It’s no way to live. Believe me. Why not let him help, so long as he’s discreet? There’s plenty he can find out without mentioning your name. Remember, the child who closes his eyes feels invisible and safe, but he’s safer facing his fears with eyes wide open.”
She sniffled and gave a half chuckle. “You sound like a fortune cookie.”
“Well, if I had friends that looked like yours the last thing I’d do is close my eyes. How’s that?” She laughed. “Do you think you’re calm enough to go out there now? You have a very surly, handsome man willing to drive you home.”
With a cleansing breath, she sat back
and nodded. “Yeah.”
“Good.”
“Thank you for this, Chloe. I know you’re my therapist, but … sometimes you feel like a friend. Right now I really need friends that understand what I’m going through.”
When Jade exited the office, Jeremy was pacing. His long legs gobbled up the small waiting area in two strides. Pivoting, he stilled as his gaze fell on her.
Timidly, she folded her hands, giving him time to—
He yanked her into another bear hug. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to push you. I just worry and want you safe.”
“It’s okay,” she whispered back, breathing in his familiar scent. Her eyes closed as she tried to lose herself in his presence. “Can we go home now?”
“God, yes.” His lips pressed to her hair as his hold tightened and released.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Mexican music played softly in the dim lit restaurant. Jade felt the weight of Jeremy’s stare through every bite of her fajita. “You’re going to give me a complex if you don’t stop staring.”
“Can we talk about it?”
She rested her fork on the edge of the plate and sighed. She knew he wouldn’t just let it go. “What do you want me to do, Jeremy?”
“I want you to go to the police.”
“And say what? I woke up months ago, I have no recollection of what happened, now I’m pregnant, and I’m pretty sure the guy’s a bad driver? How far do you think they’ll get with a lead like that?”
His eyes narrowed. “How can you be so cavalier about all this?”
She scoffed. “Cavalier? Are you kidding me?”
“What if they can help you?”
“What if they can’t?”
“But what if they can?”
This was getting nowhere. “Jeremy … can you just try to think like a woman for a minute? That man, whoever he is, did something horribly repulsive to me and I was defenseless. I didn’t get to defend myself or even protect my body when it happened. He took something from me I will never get back. Do you think he couldn’t do it again? I’m not saying that will happen, but it’s a fear I face every day. I literally pray it was a one-time thing and I make bargains with myself, promising if nothing like that ever happens to me again, I won’t retaliate for the one time it did happen. Do you think that’s the thinking of a brave person? It’s not. I’ll never be as brave as I was and you will never know what it’s like to have a stranger inside of you without your permission.”
“Men get raped, Jade.”
“Look at you and look at me. Maybe if I was your size I’d be a little less timid, but I’m tiny. I’m scared. And I’m having a baby. I couldn’t protect myself, but I will protect my child. The best way for me to do that is by moving forward and leaving the past behind.”
“Then let me do some digging. I swear I won’t use your name and I promise not to do anything to put you or the baby in danger.”
“Jeremy… No.”
He sighed, clearly not agreeing with her, but he no longer pressed her. They drove to his place after the restaurant and Jade needed to get clean. It had been one of those days that just made her feel dirty.
“Can I use your shower?”
“Sure. You know where it is.”
Looking back at him, seeing the tension he now carried, she gave up. “You can’t use my name.”
He turned and frowned, and then he understood she was giving him permission to investigate. “I won’t.”
A nervous smile turned her lips. “And … thanks. For caring so much.”
His smile mirrored hers. “I’ll always care about you, Jade.”
She was starting to believe that.
As Jade pulled the shower curtain back, she reached for the towel Jeremy left on the vanity. Wiping the steam-coated mirror, she stared at her reflection, replaying their conversation. Her number one priority was keeping her baby safe and she didn’t want anyone coming after her because they felt threatened.
Jeremy promised he’d do everything necessary to keep her and the baby safe. Discretion was key. Chloe was right. He was an alpha. As soon as she gave him permission to get actively involved, he seemed satisfied.
What else was Chloe was right about? Did Jeremy love her? She had a hunch that she very much loved him, but that was one of those pesky thoughts better left ignored for now.
Sleeping with Jeremy would confirm that she was ready to move on from her tragedy and reclaim her life. But the fear of an emotional crisis in the midst of intimacy made her hesitant.
Why did it have to be complicated? She wanted him. He wanted her. But more than anything, she wanted normal. She wanted to forget.
Staring at her reflection, she whispered, “You want to have sex with Jeremy Larson.” Big shock there.
It shouldn’t have to be complicated. Love didn’t need to play a part in it. People had casual sex all the time. She could do this—would do this, because she trusted him.
He definitely took up a space in her heart. He was her friend—her super sexy friend. She should be sleeping with him. If her life hadn’t derailed right before Kat’s wedding, she’d be a seasoned veteran by now in terms of sleeping with Jeremy. There was no doubt.
But now … now there were all these unexpected emotions clouding her perception. He was more than her hot friend, more than a body she wanted to conquer. In a way, he was her hero—always looking out for her and trying to protect her.
You’re in love with him.
Shut up. Sex is sex. Don’t make it out to be more than it is.
Her mind was made up. She was going to sleep with him and she was not going to mess everything up with big, four letter words like love.
Do not screw this up.
As she left the bathroom, she found a folded pair of Jeremy’s sweats on the bed with an old T-shirt that said Navy. Yep, she was bagging herself a sailor tonight.
Making her way downstairs, she found him sitting on the couch quietly talking on the phone. She sat beside him and pulled the afghan over her feet. He smiled and pulled her into his side.
“You did?” He smiled and adjusted the phone. “Without falling once? Well, that’s great. Hmm, maybe if you ask Santa he will bring you some ice skates of your own.” He paused and laughed. “Well, then, you’re just going to have to be extra good.”
She gathered he was talking to Mia and remembered she had a field trip this week to go ice-skating with her class.
“Okay, Princess. I love you, too. Be good for Mommy. Bye, baby.”
As he hung up the phone she turned to him and asked, “Mia have her field trip today?”
“Yup. Now she wants to be an Olympic gold medalist. You look sexy in my Navy shirt.”
“It’s the first thing I’ve worn in weeks that hasn’t cut off my circulation.”
“Don’t start,” he warned. “You want to watch a movie? I won’t hold it against you if you nap.”
Love. Love. Love. Love.
“Then yes.” She smiled while internally growling at her stupid subconscious.
Snuggling deeper into his side, she shut her eyes as he selected a movie. She guessed it was a comedy by the way laugher occasionally rumbled in his chest, but she couldn’t keep her eyes open long enough to be sure. A while later she stretched awake to find her face pressed into his hard abdomen.
“Have a nice nap?”
“Mmm, I forgot where I was. You’re a good pillow.”
“That’s what I’m here for.” He winked and brushed her hair away from her face with his fingers.
“How was your movie?”
“Sucked. Some people just try too hard to be Jim Carey.”
“Yes, there are only a few of us who are naturally funny. It’s a gift really.” Shifting, she rolled to sit up.
“Where you going? I was comfy.”
“I have to tinkle.”
When she returned to the living room Jeremy wasn’t there. She followed the clank of dishes coming from the kitchen.
“Wha
t do you have there?” she asked, spotting the heaping bowl of ice cream.
“Cookies and Cream, but it’s all for me.” He glided past her, holding the bowl out of her reach.
“I happen to know that if you don’t give me that bowl, you’ll get a very nasty sty.”
“What?” He laughed as he dropped to the couch.
“It’s true. The woman at my work told me. If you deny a pregnant woman what she craves you’ll get a sty. It’s a fact.”
“Really? Then I better give you everything you crave.” He spooned a dollop of ice cream into her mouth and kissed her. “Mmm, delicious.”
She licked her lips as he took his own bite, his gaze smoldering as he slowly pulled the spoon from his mouth. They took turns, chasing each bite with a kiss. The press of the cool spoon on her tongue, the weight of the metal in her mouth, the sensual way she sucked it clean and swallowed slowly; it was culinary foreplay at its best.
“Have I satisfied all of your cravings this evening, Ms. Schultz?” His husky voice reeked of implication as she placed the bowl on the coffee table.
Easing back, she tried to match his smolder. “You’re getting warmer.”
“Well…” Stretching over her, he pressed his lips to hers. “I aim to please. You taste like cookies.”
Their bodies pressed together, molding to each other’s contours, as he took her mouth. Their hands searched over one another. His palms gently cupped her breasts, respecting their new tenderness. Brushing her fingers over the bulge of his pants, he growled into her mouth.
She worked the button of his jeans free and he caught her wrist. “Let’s go upstairs.”
Lacing his fingers in hers, he stood and pulled her to her feet, only to kiss her again. Her arms wreathed his neck as he lifted her, cupping her ass.
“Wrap your legs around my hips.” He nipped at her neck and her thighs tightened around his waist. He carried her toward the stairs, detouring to lock the front door and explore her throat with his tongue.
His breath tickled over the shell of her ear as her body pulsed and quivered. Her legs tightened around him to relieve some of the pressure. He groaned and carried her up the steps.
If I Fall Page 15